How long is the average lunchbreak in the UK?
Fun fact: even though most people officially have a 30-minute lunch break, it is common in British work culture to take a shorter break. We agree, that’s just weird!
Brits also like to eat 'on the go'.
This means eating a sandwich or something similar whilst walking around, sometimes in the rain! Perhaps Brits could learn better a way to do lunch from the French, who usually take 2 HOUR lunch breaks!
So, we now know that the English have possibly the shortest lunch break in the whole of Europe. This means that breakfast must be a really important meal! Most of Britain eats breakfast at home before work or school. What breakfast foods are popular in the UK?
1. Cereals and porridge. Even though porridge is a traditional food of Scotland, it is commonly eaten all over the UK.
2. Toast! Britain is not only a nation of sandwich lovers, but toast too. Look out for a extra thick kind of toast in the north of England called a 'doorstop'!
3. Eggs four ways – boiled, scrambled, poached or fried. All four types of cooked eggs on toast are another favourite breakfast of the British.
4. The full English breakfast. We have saved the best until last because this is a national dish! The full English breakfast started in the Industrial Revolution because factory workers worked long hours and needed a big meal to help them survive the day.
If you have never made a full English breakfast before, follow the steps below!
You'll need:
2 slices of bacon
2 sausages
1-2 eggs (fried or scrambled)
Plum tomato or tomato
Mushrooms
Baked beans
White or brown bread for toast
Method:
Step 1. Heat some butter or oil in a griddle pan. The sausages will take the longest to cook so add them first and slowly cook for around 8 minutes. Move the sausages to the edge of the pan. Add the mushroom and tomato.
Step 2. Add the baked beans to a saucepan and heat slowly. In the same step, place some bacon under a grill.
Step 3. For fried eggs, heat a little oil in a frying pan and break the eggs straight into the pan. For scrambled eggs, break two eggs into a bowl, whisk with a little milk then add to the pan.
Step 4. Put the bread into the toaster and when it is ready, everything else should be cooked!
Step 5. Add all the ingredients to your plate and enjoy with a pot of English Breakfast tea.
*For a vegetarian version of a full English breakfast, swap the meat items for soya bean alternatives. And for a vegan version, swap the eggs for avocado too.
British mealtimes and work habits are linked, so they tell us a lot about everyday life in the UK. This is essential knowledge for anyone wanting to work, study or live in Britain. We have covered only the basics in this blog, so head over to our FREE webinar on "British Meal Times" to learn more about this topic!
IQ Global's series of webinars on British Food Culture will help you level up in English. Plus, there are fun questions and activities to engage with! And if you still have an appetite for more, we also have a series of Culture Cooking Shows, to show you how to make UK dishes at home.
Did you know that we have an English Voice taster at each level, absolutely free? Just sign up to the website to access this amazing free content and try before you buy!
We hope you have enjoyed this blog. As always, you will progress more by reading, listening and practising your English so make sure you check out IQ Global for free resources and our YouTube channel. See you next time!